AI Startup Orbital Insights Uses Big Data to Spot Illegal Acts

This AI startup is using big data and satellite imagery to monitor deforestation -- and possibly help prevent it. Orbital Insight uses artificial intelligence to track areas under threat to spot illegal logging before it actually happens.

In partnership with Global Forest Watch, the AI startup looks for suspicious changes (for example, new road building near forests). If a threat is found, the system alerts Global Forest Watch, who them publishes these notifications on their site. Conervationists and locals can use this website as a resource, so they can take the right measures to stop what's happening in its tracks before more significant damage is done.

The longer the system is able to monitor forests, the more it will learn to recognize potential instances of deforestation and improve itself.